Get Your Opinion Published
Write a letter to the editor of your favorite paper. It's easier than you think. Spend a few minutes and put your thoughts in front of thousands.

Find the Newspaper's Address
Look up the paper's web site at http://dailyearth.com. There's a very comprehensive directory of US and international newspapers.Almost all papers allow email submission of letters to the editor, most prefer it.

Letter Writing Tips
Consider these tips to help get your letter published.

• Read the paper's submission instructions and guidelines. Play by their rules and make it easy for them to accept your letter.
• Keep it short, fewer than 100 to 150 words in most cases. Long, rambling letters are likely to be discounted or severely edited.
• Keep it simple. Stick to a single key point.
• In the first sentence, tie your letter to a recent news event or another letter.
• Don't rant. Be logical and rational. Focus on persuading other readers.
• Mention your perspective on the issue."As a mother of two, ..."
• Check and double check all facts, figures, and quotations. If you include statistics, refer to a source in a footnote. It won't be published, but the staff may use it to check your numbers.
• Write like you speak. Don't adopt an artificial style. Read your letter aloud when you're done as a check.
• Read the letters to the editor page in your paper and try to understand what the editors look for in selecting letters for publication.
• Don't fire off a letter in a highly emotional state. When you're done, let it sit a bit. Then re-read your letter several times and polish it. Consider what you've said from the reader's standpoint.
• Include your name, address, and phone number.The paper will contact you to confirm that the letter is yours. Your address won't be published, but some papers do include your email address if you submit your letter by email.
• Start small. Write your first letters to local papers rather than the New York Times.
• Keep writing. Don't be discouraged if your first efforts aren't published.Write about multiple issues and send your letters to several papers. Encourage your friends to write.

Sample Format
If you're having trouble getting started, consider this general outline.

• I'm writing about ...
• I think that ...
• We should ... or What's needed is ...

Quick and Easy Opinions - Phone Submissions
Many papers have a reader comment column that accepts submissions by phone or email, often anonymously. While they don't have the same individual impact as a letter to the editor, they're an easier target and you can use them more frequently. Write out your comment, edit it, and then call it in.

Quick and Easy Action - Voter Registration Reminder
Call your local paper's comment line and leave a message reminding readers to register to vote. Include the phone number and web address for your state.

Resources

• PriNews.com provides a web utility to send your letter to several publications at once and post a copy on the web site. You can compose off line and then cut and paste your letter into their form. Be sure to read their FAQ page.
• Tips on getting letters published from New York Times editor John Feyer and from Thomas Edwards of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Typical submission guidelines: NYT
• dailyearth.com has links to several useful news search engines. In particular, try the Google News Alerts to stay informed about a particular topic.

Published Letters
Let MMOB know when your letter is published. We'll include some success stories here.